Pneumatic player action- for pianos



Dec. 1923. y 1,476,459

P. oEsrERRl-:ICHER PNEUMATIC PLAYER ACTION FOR PIANOS Filed Sent. 15. 1921 t JP @y 5mm M Patented` Dec. 4, 1923.

UNITED rSTATES PETER ESIERREICHER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC PLAYER ACTION-FOR PLANOS.

appueatign mea september 15, 1921. seriainofsoassi.,

. To all whom it may concern.;

Be it known that I, PETER Ons'rnnnnionnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago. in the county of Cook and. State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Player Actions for Pianos, of which the following is a specication'.

The invention relates to improvements in pneumatic player actions for pianos.

. Que of the objects of the invention ,is to provide: an improved pneumatic `piano player mechanism which may conveniently e placed in an ordinary piano and operated independently of the usual,y ke boa,1jd,and which will not interfere withlieioperation oftheylattenj; Vf',

Another object isto rovide an improved pneumatic action whicih may conveniently and quickly be removed from its support for repair or adjustment and as quickly replaced.

`Another object is to provide a pneumatic action having a. self-contained inseparable means for holding it in Supported position to the wind-chest, or trunk, provided for a plurality of such actions, and by means of which the packing between the communicating openings is compressed and held in place.

Another object is to generally improve pneumatic actions for pianos.

Other, further and more specific objects of the invention will become readily apparent, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the followin description, when taken in conjunction wit accompanyingdrawings, wherein ig). 1 is a plan view of two actions placed side y side and secured to a wind-chest showing parts of one action in section.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

In both views the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts.

In the drawings 5 represents the fixed body part of one of the pneumatic actions, and 6 is the relatively movable part which imparts the necessary motion to the sticker rods of the piano, as usual in structures of this general character. The part 6 is hinged at 7 and is connected to the part 5 by the flexible bellows fold 8.

Arecess9 in the part5 is covered by a very flexible diaphragm 10, which is also closed by the wall 8 to provide the chamber 10 under the dia hragin, and aA recessill con...

tains `a rotata 1y adjustable `valve seat 12, which i s vertically adjustable tolimit -the operative movement of the valve 13. fThere is an opening 14 between the recesses 9 and 11, within which the stem 15 of the valve is contained .and thru which air passes to the wind-chest from the bellows 8. Thevalve normally closes the opening 14 and, when lifted by the diaphragm 10, it closes the opening -16 in the valve seat structure 12, which communicates,lnormally, withjzthe recess 11 from the outside atmosphere.`

v17 vis an elongated windfchest, or.` trunk. containing`,a vacuum `chamber` 18 from which theiairtjs normally exhausted tofsome extent means iota, pump' ,which operated in connection with the'pneum'atic actions of this character.

For each pneumatic action there is an orifice 19 extending thru the rear vertical wall of the wind-chest for communication with the interior of the action, An opening 2() extends from the orifice 19 to the chamber 9, and a small bleeder hole 21 extends from the wind-chest to the vent opening 22 which is in communication with the chamber 10 above the bellows. The opening 22 is connected by a pipe 24 and thereby to the usual tracker-board used in connection with devices of this character.

Two like air conduits 25 and 26 connect the chamber 11 with the chamber 23 within the bellows and normally vent said bellows chamber to the outside atmosphere when valve 13 is seated by effect of gravity. These conduits are amply large and offer relatively small resistance.

To the lower end of the hinge member 6 is secured a plate 27 upon the end of which a sticker rod (not shown) normally rests and by which the rod is lifted when the bellows is collapsed.

A bracket 28, secured to the part 29 by screws 30, is made of a relatively yielding material, such as spring sheet brass, or the like. heilig provided with a threaded boss 31 in which a screw 32 is adjustable. The screw may carry on its end a lug 33 for contact with the wind-chest 17. When the screw is tightened the piano action is brought into forcible contact with the packing 34 which is placed between the action and the windchest to prevent air leak. A pin 35 is the guide by which the action is held in relation to the wind-chest, so that it will always be ret-ufed ace'lfa'tely 'to th'e place from which it was baken.

The operation of the device is substantiall as follows:

'i hen the tube 22 is closed by the moving strip on the tracker board, the su'bai'tmospherie pressures above and below the clinphragm 10 is substantially balanc'e'fl by `Cornmunieation thru the bleecler tube 21. ThereA orethe attenuation Aof. air in vthe ehnmh'er 18 of the wind-'Chest 'will nt raise the menile'r 6. If now, 'the `tube 22 be opened, as when th'e moving strip on the 'tracker board presents n slot immediately over the end et' the 'tube 24, pressure in Chamber lj'O will el ual that 'of Ethe .eitmosphere7 'and t'he 'diap ragm `-1U Wi'llbe raised as a result oi ntrrros- 'phe'rie pressure an'cl un `attenuation in 'ch'amb'e'r' 9, KclosingYr port 1:6 n nd causing air the tube 24 is again closed by further morement oi' the strip, equilibrium is established. valve 13 will fall, opening port 1G :xml elo;- iI-Lg port l-LL, musing the bellows fold to be again expanded.

Having 'described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pneumatic action having un aperture und u wind chest having a registering aperture, in combination with ai dowel pin to hold the apertures in register, :intl a resilient clamping means to hold the :lotion aml chest together.

2. A pneumatic netion hu'ving :in :iperture thru a vertical Wall and a wind chest having :i registering aperture thru 'n vertical wall in 'combination with n hori'zcmtally-rlisposed doWel pin to hold the apertures im register; a resilient bracket, und :i ser-em.; en operating therewith and adjustable in 'the hrncket to 'clamp the 'action und =chest ton testimony rvirhrereof I hereunto subso sfribed my name.

PETER OIISTERRETICHIE'R, 

